Tuesday racing at Cambridge will kick start another busy week of harness racing.
Today there’ll be eight races, starting at 4.30pm with four more meetings this week with Gore on Thursday, followed by Addington and Auckland (Friday) and Timaru on Sunday.
Auckland’s meeting will feature the third heat of the latest Silk Road series for the Fillies and Mares. Part of a strategy to revitalise northern racing, the Silk Road Northern Spring series is in its first year and is all about encouraging, and rewarding fillies and mares with five $15,000 heats leading into a $30,000 final.
The first two placed runners from each heat are automatic qualifiers for the final. The third heat will be this Friday, with heats four and five on October 4 and 11 before the $30,000 Final on October 18.
Addington’s Friday meeting will feature the $60,000 Lamb and Hayward Canterbury Classic, with the first three home in the Group 2 guaranteed a start in the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 12.
Telfers take four to Cambridge
By Brigette Solomon
The training partnership of Steve and Amanda Telfer send a competitive team of four horses south to Cambridge Raceway for tonight’s meeting.
All four will be driven by stable driver Josh Dickie. Their first starter for the night is Princess Lisa in Race 3, the Off The Track Food And Bev Mobile Pace over 2200 metres.
“She’s only a small filly but does have a decent turn of foot and trialled up well prior to her first start,” says Telfer.
The two-year-old filly by American Ideal has had just one race start finishing eighth at Alexandra Park on September 13. On that occasion she appeared to be travelling well in running when three back on the fence but sustained a punctured tyre at the 600 metre mark hindering her capacity to let down in the home straight.
“It’s hard to say how she would have finished off last start if she hadn’t got the punctured tyre but Josh (Dickie) said she was travelling well prior to that and it’s turned out to be a good form race with Beetastic coming out and winning the Group 1 race on Friday.”
Up next in Race 4, the Oktoberfest At The Clubhouse Tickets On Sale Now Handicap Trot, is Joca’s Hill.
The four-year-old gelding has exhibited talent in the past, but manners have let him down on occasion. However, a spell and a drop back in company looks to have been beneficial with his fresh up run here last week over the 2200 metre trip yielding a second placing after being run down late in the home straight by winner Johnny Who.
“We decided not to trial him and head straight to Cambridge with him for a couple of starts to round off his fitness so I was happy with his fresh up run last week,” says Telfer, “his manners and effort were good and he’s trained on well since but his fitness isn’t 100 percent there yet so there’s improvement in him.”
“It’s a bigger field tonight so he’ll have a little bit more work to do to overcome the 20 metre handicap.”
Joca’s Hill’s three wins have all come at this track and distance and he starts tonight’s race off a 20 metre handicap.
The next of the Telfer runners is Precious Bet in Race 7, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Pace over 2200 metres.
The Bettor’s Delight three-year-old is another whose two wins and multiple placings have all come on this track. His most recent run on September 10 saw him finish second behind the Cambridge Tuesday specialist Red Rackham, with a margin of five lengths back to the third placed Victor Bravo. With two starts at Cambridge this preparation for a second and a third placing, Precious Bet looks well placed and drawn (2) tonight.
“He’s an honest horse and has good gate speed and a lovely draw to work with tonight and I imagine he’ll end up in front tonight,” says Telfer, “he’s a bit stronger this preparation and no doubt he’ll give a good account of himself.”
Elizabeth Hill is the Telfer’s final starter for the night contesting Race 8, the Quiz Night At The Clubhouse Every Wednesday Trot.
The four-year-old mare has had just two starts since arriving at the Telfer’s northern stables for two third placings, one at Alexandra Park and most recently at Cambridge last week. The What The Hill mare started last week off a 30 metre handicap and after sitting parked for most of the race, briefly slotted onto the back of the leader at the 600 metre mark, before shifting out on the home bend only to later shift back down to the passing lane to obtain clear running. She finished just a length behind race winner Rock On Jazz.
“She’s a consistent trotter with good manners and another who we didn’t trial prior to first racing up here instead electing to head straight to the races,” says Telfer, “she didn’t quite get the run clear past other horses last start, but I was happy with her effort.”
“She’s trotting really solid and doesn’t make too many mistakes and I think she’d be our best chance for the night.”
Race 1 gets underway tonight at 4.30pm and it’s the last opportunity for on course participants to be in the Trot Into Tuesday’s draw to win a $250 cash prize plus an entry for the $4000 grand prize to be drawn tonight.
